Electrical devices generate heat during functioning. It is important to ensure that such devices are cooled since overheating can cause the device to malfunction. The term “heatsink” is generally used to describe any component or apparatus that cools a device by transferring heat generated within a solid device to a fluid such as a liquid or air by convection. Heatsinks are used in refrigeration and air conditioning systems as well as for cooling a range of electronic and opto-electronic devices including computer central processing units (CPU's) and other processors. They are designed to increase the surface area in contact with the surrounding fluid and therefore generally include a large number of protrusions known as fins. Various types of heatsinks are known, such as pin fin heatsinks and straight fin heatsinks. Heatsinks are typically used in conjunction with a fan.
A finned heatsink offers limited efficiency if the ends of the fins are not enclosed, because air can escape from the fins rather than travelling the length of the heatsink. There is therefore a need in the art for a way of improving the efficiency of heatsinks such as finned heatsinks.